Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was an Indian right-wing and Hindu nationalist paramilitary organization that was founded on 27 September 1925. The organization claimed a commitment to selfless service for India, and it sought to unite Hindus as one nation; it also supported strengthening the Hindu majority community in the country. The RSS took inspiration from right-wing groups during World War II and came to become a Hindu nationalist umbrella organization, and it was banned once during British rule and thrice by the Indian government; these incidents occurred after RSS member Nathuram Godse assassinated Mahatma Gandhi in 1948, during the 1975-1977 period of emergency, and after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992. By 2014, the group had between 5,000,000 and 6,000,000 members.